Hydrostatic Pressure

More Process Variables: P and T

- Pressure due to weight of fluid.
- Consider a tank filled with liquid.
Pressure
Pressure of atmosphere = Patm
Pressure is ratio of Force to Area
upon which it is acting. Area = A

Fluid Pressure
Pressure on walls in a pipe in which
h
fluid is flowing.
Fluid, density ρ

F Area
P=
A

F Volume of tank = V = hA
∴ Weight of fluid in tank = mg
= ρVg
= ρAhg

Absolute and Gauge Pressure

Now, total force exerted downwards at base
of tank is: When quoting pressures, two different
‘zero points’ are commonly used.
F = Patm ⋅ A + ρAhg a) Absolute pressure – ‘O’ pressure is a
perfect vacuum.
Weight of atmosphere Weight of fluid in tank
b) Gauge pressure – ‘O’ pressure is Patm
∴ Pressure at base of tank is pressure.

F
= Patm + ρgh Pabsolute = Patm + Pgauge
A
Atmospheric pressure can vary, but a standard Pressure

atmospheric pressure is defined: Absolute

Pressure Gauge
Pressure
1 atm = 101325 Pa Patm
= 14.7 p.s.i.

Perfect Vacuum

1
 Commonly we will see gauge or absolute Example:
pressures denoted by the addition of ‘g’ or
The great molasses disaster of 1919, Boston.
‘a’ to the quoted pressure.
In 1919, a storage tank containing molasses
absolute burst in Boston releasing a wave of molasses
eg down the city streets. Some 2.3 million gallons
(US) of molasses was spilt resulting in the
50 psia gauge death of 21 people.
or
Data: Height of storage tank = 30 ft
35.3 psig
SG (molasses) = 1.4
Calculate:
(i) The mass (in lbs) of molasses
spilt.
(ii) The absolute and gauge pressure
at the bottom of the tank (lbf /in2)

Solution: Example: (Cont.)

Molasses Tank Absolute Pressure = Patm + ρgh
Assume Patm = 1 atm
2.3 million US gallons of molasses
30 ft = 14.7 p.s.i.
lb ft
ρgh = 87.2 3 × 32.2 2 × 30 ft
ft s
1 lb f
×
ft
Assume atmospheric pressure = 1 atm 32.2 lb m ⋅ 2
s
Now, S.G. = 1.4
87.2 × 32.2 × 30 lb f (1ft) 2
⇒ ρ = 1.4 g/cm3 = ⋅ 2 ⋅
32.2 ft (12 in) 2
kg 0.0283 m 3 2.2 lb
= 1,400 ⋅ ⋅ 2616
m3 1 ft 3 1 kg = lb f /in 2
= 87.2 lb/ft 3 (12) 2
Now, 2.3 × 106 gallons ⋅
35.31 ft 3 = 18.2 p.s.i.
264.17 gallon
∴ Absolute pressure = 14.7 + 18.2
= 0.307 × 106 ft 3
∴ mass of molasses = ρV = 32.9 psia
= 87.2 lb/ft × 0.307 × 10 ft
3 6 3
Gauge pressure = 18.2 psig
= 26.8 × 106 lb

2
 Pabsolute Pgauge For Example:
If PAbsolute = 2.00 atm
Atmospheric ~ 1 atm 1.01325 ×105
Pressure = 2.00 atm× Pa
1atm
Negative Pgauge = 2.03×105 Pa
or Vacuum.
It Patm =1.00×105 Pa
⇒ PGauge =1.03×105 Pa (ie 2.03×105 Pa - 1.00×105 Pa)

If PAbsolute = 0.550 atm

Note: Pgauge can be negative Pabsolute is
always positive. ‘Vacuum’ is some 1.01325 ×105
= 0.550 atm× Pa
times used to described negative 1atm
Pgauge. = 5.57×104 Pa
⇒ PGauge = 5.57×104 -1.00×105
= - 4.43×104 Pa
or a vacuum of 4.43×104 Pa

Manometers and ’Head’ of Fluid ∴ If mercury is used in manometer:

Orifice
Chemical symbol for mercury
Pipe
1 atm = 760 mm Hg (at 0ºC)
gas or water = 10.333 m H2O (at 4ºC)
= 33.9 ft H2O (at 4ºC)
P2
{

P1
P2 Head of fluid
h ∆P = ρgh
P1 P1
Manometer

Gravity
Liquid
∆P = P1 - P2 = ρgh
∆P
⇒ h = pressure head
ρg
or head of fluid

3
Open end manometer:
P1 Example:
Two mercury manometers, one open-end
Pipe Patm and the other closed end, are attached to
an air duct.
Patm
The reading on the open-end Manometer
h P1 - Patm = ρgh is 25 mm and that on the closed end
P1 Manometer is 800 mm.
Quest: Determine Pgauge, Pabsolute, Patm
Now from the open end Manometer:
Closed end manometer:
P1 Pipe Pabs − Patm = 25mm Hg
⇒ Pgauge = 25 mm Hg
Sealed end - evacuated
Now closed-end Manometer
P2 = 0 (absolute) PAbs − 0 = 800 mm Hg
h
⇒ Pabs = 800 mm Hg
P1
P1 = ρgh

∴ As Pabs - Patm = 25 mm Hg Temperature

Pabs = 800 mm Hg - An important physical variable
⇒ Patm = 800 - 25
- Effects what ‘phase’ a material is (solid,
= 775 mm Hg
liquid, gas)
- Is a measure of the average kinetic
energy of constituent molecules/atoms in
material
- Effects rate of reaction and extent of
reaction.

4
 Four Main Temperature Scales. ABSOLUTE SCALES

Celsius Scale Kelvin (K)

0ºC 100ºC 0K 373.15 K
100ºC 273.15 K

Fahrenheit Scale 491.67 ºR

671.67 ºR
32ºF 0ºR
180ºF 212ºF Rankine Scale (ºR)

Freezing point of Boiling point of Absolute zero Freezing Point of Boiling point of
(no energy) water at 1 atm water at 1 atm
water at 1 atm water at 1 atm Pressure
Pressure Pressure ∆ 1 K = ∆ 1.8 ° R
∆ 1°C = ∆ 1.8 °F ∆ 1K = ∆ 1 ° C
∆ 1°R = ∆ 1°F
T(°F) = 1.8 T (°C) + 32 ⇒ T (K) = T( ° C) + 273.15
T ( ° R) = T( ° F) + 459.67

Example: PHASE EQUILIBRIA

Quest: Convert 50ºC into ºF, ºR, K. The conditions under which a pure
T(K) = T(ºC) + 273.15 compound exists as a gas, liquid or
⇒ T(K) = 50 + 273
solid is usually summarised by a
phase diagram.
= 323 K
Melting C
T(ºF) = 1.8T(ºC) + 32
Freezing
= 1.8 × 50 + 32
= 122 ºF
vaporisation
T condensation
T(ºR) = T(ºF) + 460 Deposition
= 122 + 460 Sublimation

= 582 ºR

T = Triple Point
C = Critical Point

5
 PHASE EQUILIBRIA
The addition of small amounts ∆Tb= Kbm
of non-volatile impurities can where ∆Tb = Boiling point elevation
affect the boiling point and
melting point of a substance. Kb = molal boiling point
elevation constant
Freezing point depression
m = molality of the solution
Pure substance
moles of solute
Impure substance
molality =
1000g of solvent
1 atm
Note:Kb is dependent on the
solvent not the solute.
∆ Tb

∆Tb = Boiling point elevation

For water, Kb = 0.52 oC/m FREEZING POINT

DEPRESSION
If 1 mol of sucrose is added to
1000 gm of water, then The addition of impurities to a
solution interferes with the
∆Tb= 0.52 x 1 formation of crystals when the
= 0.52 oC solution is cooled. This results in
ie Boiling point is increased a freezing point depression (∆Tf)
by 0.52oC
∆Tf = Kfm
If 1 mol of NaCl is added to
1000 gm of water; NaCl will Where: Kf = molal freezing point
dissociate in water to form 1 mol depression constant
of Na+ ions and 1 mol Cl- ions
m = molality of the solute
∴ 2 mole of ions are formed.
∴ ∆Tb= 1.04oC

6
 Solubility: Example:

The solubility of a solid in a liquid is the A tired student up late at night studying for
maximum amount of solid that can be exams wants to make a strong coffee.
dissolved in a liquid. Being a sweet tooth the student intends to
put as much sugar as possible into their
The solubility depends on the chemistry of the
coffee.
solute and solvent and on the temperature.
The coffee cup contains approximately
300mL of hot coffee (50oC) and a teaspoon
In 100 g of water we can dissolve:
contains approximately 4.5g of sugar.
222 g AgNO3 at 20oC
If the solubility of sugar is given by the
952 g AgNO3 at 50oC following equation:
0.003 g AgCO3 at 20oC
202 g sucrose at 20oC
 g sugar
Solubility 

(
 = 64.53 + 0.0937T C + 0.0012 T C
o o
)
2

 100 g solution 

When a solution contains as much How many teaspoons (tsp) of sugar would
dissolved solid as possible it is said to be the student add to their coffee ?
SATURATED: the solid and liquid
are in equilibrium.

Assume that the properties (density and

solubility eq’n) of coffee and water are the
Equation of State for an Ideal Gas
same.
If the student puts as much sugar in as possible
then eventually the coffee will be saturated with
sugar. Therefore the amount of sugar in the
coffee will be given by the solubility equation:

At 50oC

 g sugar 
Solubility   = 64.53 + 0.0937 × 50 + 0.0012 × 502
 100 g solution 
g sugar
= 72.21
100 g solution

If there is 72.21 g sugar in every 100 g solution

then there is (100 – 72.21) g water in every 100 g
solution.

72.21 g sugar 1000 g water 1 tsp

Tsp sugar = × × 0.300 L water ×
27.79 g water L water 4.5 g sugar

= 173 tsp sugar